Perhaps you remember when Adam Orth once noted that those who could not handle the always-on nature of gaming should simply get better internet access. Orth left his post at tech giant Microsoft (MSFT) not long after that. But Microsoft may have gone back to that unwelcome terrain, advising users to make sure their computers have 32 gigabytes of RAM to qualify as a “no worries” platform. This left investors concerned, and shares slipped fractionally in Monday afternoon’s trading.
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Thankfully, this news seems focused on gaming PCs, which have always required a higher standard of operation. Those whose use of computers focuses mainly on productivity tools need not be concerned that the operating system that runs most of productivity these days now suddenly requires a huge load of RAM at a time when RAM is hard to come by.
A support document out from Microsoft declares that 16 gigabytes is a good “starting point,” and also encourages those who want a “no worries” experience to upgrade to 32 gigabytes instead. Most agree that more RAM is generally better—though admittedly, in some cases it may be overkill—but these remarks come at entirely the wrong time. It is even worse to consider that Microsoft is working on operating system fixes, like memory optimization that make the most of currently-available RAM figures, but these have not been implemented yet.
“Starter Tier”
If the idea of paying for Xbox Game Pass leaves you cold, then you may be pleased to note that Microsoft is about to fix that with its new Starter Tier access. The new system may be ready to launch soon, though Microsoft is keeping details about this close to the vest so far.
The Starter Tier will offer over 50 games, including multiple triple-A titles. Xbox Cloud Gaming and Xbox Rewards access will also be available at no charge. Those interested need only subscribe to Discord Nitro to get in on the action, reports note. The downside here, though, is that Nitro is itself a monthly subscription. Reports note it runs $9.99 a month.
Is Microsoft a Buy, Hold or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on MSFT stock based on 31 Buys and two Holds assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 4.98% loss in its share price over the past year, the average MSFT price target of $555.69 per share implies 34.06% upside potential.
